Keeping you safe
by Virgo girl 14
Summary: Set after Tom tells the whole school Peri is pregnant, and Nico's lie is found out.
1. Chapter 1

Keeping You Safe

Dylan kept watch on the door to Patrick's flat, waiting for him to leave for school that morning.

"Don't you have school to get to?"

Dylan turned at Grace's voice and shrugged, turning his head back to the door as the headmaster walked out. "I'm going." he said, walking up to the door as he passed Patrick. He pressed the buzzer, waiting for Nico to answer.

"Hello?"

"You ready yet? Or you gonna let me in?" he smirked when he heard the click of the lock.

"Yeah I'm nearly done. Door's open." And with another click, she was gone.

Dylan pushed the door open, looking behind him as he walked in. No sign of Patrick. He walked ahead to the flat she was in and pushed open the door, giving it a tap to signal he was inside. He spotted her in the kitchen area, and immediately he could tell something was different. "Hey."

Nico looked to him, forcing a smile before she started moving around getting her things ready for school.

Dylan put his bag down and walked over to her, putting an arm out to stop her and gently touched her arm. Ever so slightly she shrank back to his touch, just enough for him to notice. Quickly he dropped his arm and stood in front of her. "What happened?"

"Nothing..." Nico shook her head, refusing to look at him, refusing to see the concern she knew would be there. "We'll be late..."

"Screw that a minute. Don't lie Nico it's obvious something happened. Did he hurt you?"

She closed her eyes, taking a slow, deep breath, shaking her head.

"Why protect him?"

"Because he's the only family I have and without him I get taken away from this place, from you, from Peri, from Mum..."

Dylan scoffed. "Is that what he told you?"

"That doesn't matter, because it's true anyway." she looked up at him at this.

Her face may have been blank, but her eyes told him everything. She was scared. And he hadn't known her to cry in front of anyone, but he could see she was struggling to hold it all together.

"Nico, whatever he's told you, you're not on your own. There's plenty of people could help you."

And there it was. The lone tear waiting to fall had now escaped and was trailing a slow pattern down her cheek, which he gently wiped away, trying to ignore her flinch. "He hit you didn't he."

It was a question she didn't need to answer, a question he'd known the answer to as soon as he saw her. The answer glaringly obvious now he was so close to her, as he spotted the faintest bruise on her cheek beneath her make up.

"You can't tell anyone...please."

"You're mad if you think you can deal with this on your own." he shook his head. "But I'll keep quiet for now. But if he touches you again-"

"He won't."

"How do you know that? You said it yourself, the minute he knows you lied he'll flip."

"Because..." she trailed off. She couldn't honestly answer him, because she honestly didn't know. She knew what Patrick could be like, knew that the slap across the face could be just the start.

"Ok. Ok just promise me this. If he tries to hurt you again, don't let him, get help. Either me, or Darren or anyone that you come to."

Nico nodded. "Ok..."

"Or you could just turn him to stone."

Nico smiled and let out a laugh. "You have my wand."

"Well I'll go get it." he smiled, glad he'd at least made her smile, things were back to normal for a moment. "I meant what I said. I'll protect you. You might not want me to, but I want to. "

"He'll hurt you too."

"So let him. If it means I get to make sure you're safe, I don't care what he does to me."

Nico shook her head and went to grab her bag. "Come on, we'll be late."

Dylan sighed and rolled his eyes, knowing that was the end of the matter for now. "Ok." he said and walked to the door, picking up his bag and opened the door for her, shutting it behind them when she was out.

"You heard from Peri?" Nico asked.

Dylan shook his head. "Not since everything went off yesterday."


	2. Chapter 2

Keeping You Safe

Over the next few days, Dylan kept a close, protective watch over Nico, looking for a sign that she'd been hurt again.

"I know what you're doing." Nico looked at him as they walked from their science lesson, heading toward history.

"What's that?" Dylan asked, feigning innocence.

"It hasn't happened again. I'd tell you if he had."

"You're still my best mate, and I'm still gonna look out for you." He smiled at her.

Nico smiled, and walked with him to class.

"You gonna sit by Peri?"

"No..." Nico shook her head. "I think I need to step back from all that... I'll still be there for her, she's my best mate, but I can't get that involved again."

Dylan nodded. "Okay. Come on..."

Nico walked into the room, walking to the other side of the class room and sat down, Dylan sitting next to her.

Peri looked around at her best friend, and slumped back into her seat when Nico refused to look over at her.

Dylan looked as his phone buzzed silently in his pocket. It was a message from Tom which read; 'how do we get those two talking again?' He quickly typed back a message saying; 'not sure Nico's a bit wary right now'

He glanced to Nico and then over at Tom, giving a small shrug at the boy, not really knowing what to do.

Nico barely concentrated through the whole lesson, her mind wandering. She missed her mum, even more so now than ever before.

The bell rand and she quickly sprang from her seat, leaving the room.

Dylan stayed for a few seconds, wondering what was going on in her head. "The hell...?" He muttered, getting up, grabbing her bag that she had left behind and he left with the rest of the class.

He eventually found her in a quieter part of the school, hidden, sat on a table just under the stairs. "I thought you said you were OK." He leaned over the railings, looking down at her.

She shrugged. "I was.. I am.."

"So... What was that back there?" He walked down the stairs and stood in front of her.

She sighed. "I want to talk to mum..." She admitted.

He nodded. "That's understandable. So why don't you?"

"I don't have the number for the hospital she's in. Grandad does, and he won't give it me."

"There can't be that many mental units in Chester. So we'll find out, and try and see if any of them will talk to us."

Nico smiled a little. "Really?"

"Really." He nodded, smiling. "And if he finds out, I'll tell him it was my idea. It wouldn't be a lie would it."

She nodded, smiling. She jumped up from the table and hugged him.

He hugged back.


	3. Chapter 3

Keeping You Safe

Nico looked as she and Dylan stood outside the hospital doors.

"What's wrong?" he looked to her. "Thought you wanted to do this."

"I do... It's just... what if she doesn't want to see me?"

"She will. Why wouldn't she? You said she sounded happy on the phone when you talked to her, so clearly she'd want to see you." he looked between her and the doors. "Or are you worried about your grandad finding out?"

She scoffed. "As if." she rolled her eyes.

"Well he won't."

"Whatever. I'm not worried about him."

"You are." he smirked, giving her a gentle prod in the side.

She wriggled slightly, laughing. "Stop it! I'm not!" she shoved him away.

"Hey don't start fightin' with me cause you're chicken." he laughed.

"Grow up." she laughed and looked back at the hospital. "I guess I should go in."

"And if you don't come back out I'll know you've sectioned yourself and I'm goin' home on my own." he smirked.

She elbowed him in the ribs and started towards the doors.

"You know that counts as abuse for all the stuff I did for you." he smirked, rubbing where she'd elbowed.

"Yeah course it does." she giggled, walking to the front desk. "I'm here to see Sienna Blake..."

Dylan stayed behind her as the woman on the desk looked for her name.

"If you could follow me." The woman spoke.

Nico looked behind her to Dylan before starting off down the corridor, Dylan following her. They eventually stopped outside a door.

"I'll wait out here, ok?" Dylan said.

Nico nodded, smiling a little. "Ok." she said and walked inside.

"Sienna, there's someone here to see you." The woman spoke, and left the room.

Sienna looked up from her chair. "Nico?" she stood up. "What are you doing here?"

Nico looked. "I wanted to see you..."

Sienna crossed the room and held her hands. "I told you I wasn't ready for visitors. Not that I'm not happy you're here, of course I am. You've no idea how much I've missed you." she smiled.

Nico smiled a little. "I missed you too."

Sienna sighed and hugged her, a hug the young teen returned tightly.

"Your grandad told me about what you did."

Nico looked up.

"Telling people Peri's scan picture was yours?"

"Oh..."

"What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't... Peri was freaking out and she didn't want it... I panicked and said it to give her more time, cause she was gonna go for an abortion... Then Tom found out and stopped us..."

"Nico..." Sienna sighed softly. "You must have known you couldn't keep lying... About a baby of all things... Believe me, I've tried..."

Nico shrugged. "I panicked."

"He told me you were grounded."

'_That's not all he did.' _ Nico thought. "Yeah he did." She nodded.

"He also told me about a boy in your life."

Nico looked at her. "Well... He's just a friend really."

Sienna smiled. "Well who is he?"

Nico looked at her phone, bringing up a picture of her, Tom, Dylan and Peri, and she showed it to her. "There's the four of us."

Sienna looked at the picture. "Well he's different."

Nico shrugged, smiling. "Different's good."

The two talked for a while longer until a nurse came and told her it was time to leave.

Sienna hugged her daughter again. "I'll be home soon. I promise."

Nico nodded, hugging back before she left the room. She was determined not to let her mum see her cry.

Dylan stood as she approached. No words were needed between the two as he hugged her, and only then did she cry. Wordlessly he lead her out of the hospital.

"Sorry..." Nico looked at him, wiping her eyes.

"What for?"

"Crying..."

"You're a girl. Isn't that normal?" He smirked.

She giggled. "Go away."

"Never. You're stuck with me, Nico Blake." He smiled, holding her hand.

She smiled, looking at him. "I guess I can live with that."


	4. Chapter 4

Keeping You Safe

"Where've you two been?" Peri asked, seeing Dylan and Nico walk through the village. She walked over to them.

Nico looked up at her and shrugged, looking around her. "I had to get out of school, so... I went for a walk."

"And you went with her?" Peri looked.

Dylan nodded. "Yeah why wouldn't I?"

"Why did you tell Tom? I would have had this sorted by now!"

Dylan just raised an eyebrow at her. "Cause he had the right to know. To keep it from him was selfish, you know he would be there for you."

"That's my point! He wants me to keep it and I don't want it! I don't love it! And you?! You're supposed to be on my side!" She pointed to Nico.

"You didn't give him the option!" Nico snapped. "Dylan's right, Tom needed to know. I was gonna tell him."

"Why? Why did he need to know?!"

"Cause it's his wee baby too."

The Scottish tone behind them made the teens look around, seeing Cameron.

"Dad, I..." Peri started but Cameron stopped her.

"Home. Now." He looked at her.

Peri sighed heavily and walked away.

Cameron gave the pair an apologetic look before following her.

Dylan just shrugged, linking his arm with Nico's again and they walked toward Price Slice. "We could get food and go back if you want?"

She nodded. "Yeah." She sighed.

Dylan looked, noticing the change in her. "Or we don't have to. It's up to you."

She shook her head, closing her eyes and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I don't know."

"What's going on in there?" He walked with her so they were away from the prying eyes of Cindy Cunningham and Simone Loveday.

"Everything." She sighed quietly. "Mum... Peri..." She tried to make sense of the mess inside her head.

"Peri will be ok. She's just stressy that's all, she'll calm down. And your mum won't be gone for too much longer." Dylan looked.

"I just wish Dodger was here to make it ok again." She sighed.

He nodded. "I know. He's your dad, you're gonna want him around. But you told me he left to keep you safe."

She looked at him and nodded. "He did..."

The two walked back to Dylan's and they walked inside.

Dylan looked around to make sure they were alone before entering the kitchen. "But you never told me why."

Nico sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Do you remember a few weeks ago when the police arrested me for Will's death..?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"And they let me go?"

He nodded again.

"When I was in the hospital, Will dragged me to the roof... He was gonna throw me off it to hurt Dodger... Then Dodger got me away and they started fighting... That was when I pushed him..." She spoke, looking at the floor as she did.

Dylan walked over to her and held her hands in his. "Look at me."

She continued to stare at their joined hands for a moment longer before looking up at him through blurry eyes.

He let go of one hand so he could wipe away her tears. "You were defending yourself, defending your dad, anybody else would have done the same."

"But he was standing still... You can't do a self-defense thing if at the time I pushed him he wasn't doing anything..."

He sighed. "Maybe but you have nothing to feel guilty about. If you didn't do anything, he would have killed you both." He looked. "So let me guess, he took the blame for pushing his brother?"

She nodded, looking at the floor again.

He hugged her tightly.

She hugged back, closing her eyes as more tears fell.


	5. Chapter 5

Keeping You Safe

Dylan looked up from the sofa as he heard the door open, and looked back at Nico who had fallen asleep on him part way through the film they were watching, and he gently nudged her awake.

"You two haven't been in here all day?" Grace spoke, seeing the two as Nico woke up.

Dylan shook his head. "No." He looked at Nico, checking she was ok.

Nico gave a small smile and checked her phone. "Better get back." she spoke as she saw the time, obviously not realising how late in the evening it had got. As if on cue, her phone started to ring and the word 'Grandad' popped up. She sighed and answered it, standing up and she walked to the door.

"Everything alright with you two?" Grace looked as the young girl left.

Dylan nodded. "Yeah, she just had an argument with Peri earlier and.. I dunno I guess it sort of got to her." he shrugged. "Brought her back here to cheer her up next thing I know she's asleep."

Grace smiled. "Well as long as that 'cheering up' doesn't turn out like your friends."

"Can we not go into that?"

"Aw, getting embarrassed are you?" she laughed, messing with his hair.

"Get off!" he swatted her hand away, smiling and then proceeded to put it right. "I'm not that stupid, and even if we were, I wouldn't be talking to the evil stepmother about it." He got up and went to the kitchen to get a drink.

"Keep talkin' Cinders." Grace smirked.

He rolled his eyes.

Nico walked into the flat, seeing Patrick and Maxine.

"Patrick go easy on her."

He ignored Maxine's words. "Where have you been?"

Nico looked up, trying to hide the fear in her eyes. There was no use in lying. "I was with Dylan..."

"I thought I told you to stay away from him!" He grabbed her arm.

Maxine saw the young girl's expression change to almost the mirror image of her own not so long ago. "Patrick you're scaring her!"

"He's my friend!" Nico snapped, trying to pull her arm away. "You're hurting me, get off!"

"Maxine, take Minnie out." Patrick spoke, not taking his eyes off the teenager.

Nico looked at her, pleading with her not to leave her.

"I'm not leaving her. Patrick you don't have to do this."

"She needs to be taught a few lessons in obedience. I won't tell you again. Take Minnie and go for a walk."

Eventually the teenager nodded. "She doesn't need to hear this..." she looked at the floor.

Maxine looked at her for a few more moments, then she took the baby and left the flat. Within seconds of her closing the door she could hear the young girl crying. Shakily wiping away her own tears, Maxine forced a smile at her daughter. "Come on, let's go see aunty Nancy." She walked out.

A few hours and several cups of coffee later, Maxine returned to the flat, Minnie asleep in the pram. "Sorry, I lost track of time with Nancy." Maxine spoke, seeing Patrick. She picked Minnie up and walked over to him when she didn't get a usual response. "Everything alright?"

Patrick nodded. "Fine. Nico's asleep."

"Patrick she's a child... She doesn't deserve that." Maxine sat down beside him. "You promised after Minnie was born and I got back with you that this would stop."

"She needed to learn."

Nico could hear the conversation through the closed door of her bedroom. She tried not to move, tried not to aggravate the pain in her stomach and her ribs, knowing if she did, she would cry out again. Her phone vibrated on the bed beside her as a message came through from Dylan; 'Hope everything is ok x'. She sighed heavily, wanting to tell him everything. She wiped her eyes and typed back a response; 'Yeah all ok, gonna get to sleep now though x' she hit send, but sleep was a long way off. Slowly and carefully, she turned on her side, gritting her teeth to stop herself from making a noise and she screwed her eyes shut until the pain subsided and she was rested again. She opened her eyes, seeing a photo of herself, her mum and Dodger. She hugged the pillow. "I want my mum..." she muttered, not taking her eyes off the photo until she eventually fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Keeping You Safe

Nico barely left her room to get ready for school. Though the worst of the pain was gone, it still hurt her when she moved. Her phone rang for the fifth time as Patrick left the flat and she answered. "Hey.."

"What's wrong?" Dylan questioned, seeing Patrick get into his car and drive away, he looked up at the flat.

"Nothing, just don't feel too good that's all." Nico sighed, standing in front of the mirror, lifting her top to see her skin almost completely covered with dark purple bruising. Seeing it, she was unable to hold back the half sob, she bit her lip.

"So why are you crying? Nico talk to me."

"I can't." she said quietly and quickly hung up, throwing the phone at the mirror.

Maxine quickly rushed into the room, hearing the smash and she saw her curled up on the floor. "Come here..." she said, going to move her.

"No!" Nico shouted out, causing the older woman to jump back in shock.

Composing herself, Maxine knelt back down to the young girl's level. "Nico, I've been there. It won't get any better if you don't tell someone." She sighed when she shook her head. "Nico you can't let him get away with this, I won't let it happen again."

"You don't have a choice."

"Yes I do."

"How? Mum can't come home yet."

"She will soon."

"You can't tell her! It will make her ill again." Nico looked up at her.

"Nico, Sienna would do anything to protect you."

"I said no!"

Maxine sighed. "What about Dylan then?" She looked up as the buzzer sounded. "That's probably him now." Maxine gave the young girl a moment to answer her before going to the door, pressing the intercom. "Hello?"

Dylan sighed heavily hearing the voice. "Maxine let me in, I need to see her."

"Alright, come on." Maxine pushed the button and walked back to Nico. "He's coming up, and I don't think he's gonna leave till you talk to him."

"Oi! Why aren't you in school!?" Trevor shouted to his son.

"I'm on the way! Just got to do something." Dylan spoke and walked inside, shutting the door behind him so Trevor couldn't follow.

"Talk to him, Nico. Let him in. I'll be back later, I have to take Minnie to the childminder's." Maxine spoke and left the room, getting Minnie ready to go, and she left the flat, avoiding looking at the teen boy as she passed him.

Nico sighed heavily and slowly got up off the floor, sitting on the bed.

"Nico?"

"In here..."

Dylan slowly made his way toward her bedroom, not sure what he'd find. He walked inside and saw her, he knew something had happened.

Nico kept her eyes firmly on the ground, refusing to see the concerned look she knew he had.

"I know what you're doing." he spoke, walking toward her and he knelt in front of her, forcing her to look at him. "Let me help you."

"There's nothing you can do..."

Dylan shook his head and held her hand. "Don't protect him. It doesn't matter who he is to you he has no right to hurt you."

She shook her head. "I know he doesn't... but there's nothing that you can do."

He sighed and stood up to sit next to her.

Instinctively she leaned toward him, and he gently put his arm around her, pulling away when he heard her make a pained noise.

"Sorry..." she said quietly. "It's just bruising..."

"Don't you dare apologise. You've done nothing wrong." He told her.

She sighed and pulled his arm back around her and she wrapped her own around him. "You make me feel safe..."

Dylan said nothing, only holding her close to him, thinking of a way to get her out of the situation she was in.

Maxine returned to the flat a short while later, seeing Dylan's coat and school bag still in the kitchen. "Nico?" she called through, walking toward the bedroom, looking in through the open door. She saw Nico curled up on the bed, turned toward him, seemingly asleep, Dylan had his arm around her, a dark look in his eyes.

He looked up, distracted from his thoughts, seeing Maxine. He slowly got off the bed, being careful not to wake Nico. "Sienna needs to be told."

Maxine nodded. "But Nico won't listen to me." She spoke as they left the room.

"She won't listen to me either, but if you don't I will. I'll tell her everything, who I am to her, what's going on."

"You don't know where she is."

"Wanna bet?"

Maxine looked at the fifteen year old. She could see how much Nico meant to him, could see he was willing to do anything for her. "Fine." She nodded.

Dylan grabbed his coat and bag and left the flat. He ran to the bus stop as the bus got there and quickly got on before it left, heading toward the hospital Sienna was in. Once off the bus he made his way to the hospital, walking inside to the reception. "I need to see Sienna Blake."

"Can I ask why?" The receptionist looked at the boy with a strange look, taking in his appearance.

"It's about her daughter, she's... a close friend of mine, and I think she's in trouble."

The woman looked at him for another moment, and after deciding he was telling the truth, she stood up and showed him to Sienna's room. "Sienna, you have a visitor."

Sienna looked up from her conversation with Miriam and looked at the boy walking in.

Miriam looked at her. "I'll come back." she smiled and left the room.

"And who are you?" Sienna turned her attention to the teenage boy in front of her.

"I'm Dylan..." He looked at her. "I'm a friend of Nico's."

"And what are you doing here? Is she ok?"

He shook his head. "She doesn't know I'm here, she doesn't want me to tell you anything, but I feel like I have to."

"What's happened?"

Dylan looked at her, trying to gauge her reaction, trying to put it into words.

"Dylan!"

"I think Patrick's hurting Nico." He blurted out. "She won't let me near her, if I go to hug her or anything she'll react like she's in pain."

"What...? He wouldn't do that. He told me he wouldn't. He loves his family, he's changed."

He shrugged. "Maybe I got it wrong, but Maxine doesn't strike me as one for battering a 15 year old kid. And he's been acting really weird with her since the whole Peri thing."

Sienna sighed and rubbed her head. "Okay... Right. Leave it with me. Thank you for being a good friend."

Dylan nodded. "Sorry I couldn't come here with anything happier."

"It's fine. And Dylan?"

He looked at her.

"I know you're a bit more than a friend."

He dropped his head, smiling slightly. "Yeah... That."

Sienna smiled. "Well at least I know I won't have to come after you for hurting her."

He nodded. "I would never. You've got my word on that."

Sienna stood up and walked to him. "Trust me, I know. And I'll be holding you to that."

Dylan nodded. "Well I should be getting back." he turned and left, going back to the village.

Sienna watched him leave and sighed heavily. She had to find a way to get back to her daughter.


	7. Chapter 7

Keeping You Safe

Nico woke up hearing footsteps in the room. She looked up, seeing Patrick walk in with something to eat for her. Slowly she pushed herself up so she was sitting.

Patrick set the tray on the bedside table and sat on the edge of the bed. "This is my way of apologising."

Nico nodded slightly, looking up at him. "I won't do it again."

He nodded. "I don't want to have to do this again." He passed the tray to her. "I understand he's your friend, and that I can't keep you two apart. But I will not let it come between your school work. Am I clear."

Nico nodded as she took a mouthful of a sandwich.

Patrick stood up and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Nico picked up her phone, seeing a missed call from a number she didn't recognise. Setting the half eaten sandwich back on the plate she called the number back, waiting for the person to answer.

"Nico?"

"M-mum..? Is something wrong?" She questioned, keeping her voice low and level.

"I don't know, sweetheart. You tell me."

The voice on the other end was soothing, concerned and motherly, just as it should have been.

Nico gulped in a breath of air. "Nothing's wrong here mum."

"Why do you sound nervous?"

"I..I'm fine."

Sienna blew out sharply. "I had a visit from your friend today." She spoke, keeping the same tone of voice.

Nico rolled her eyes. Dylan. "He's worried.. but there's no need to be. I swear."

"Nico please."

"What? There's nothing wrong." She wanted to tell her everything, she couldn't risk Patrick listening behind the door. "I'll talk to you soon..."

Sienna took the hint. "He's in the flat isn't he."

"Yeah..."

"And you don't want to risk him hearing. Keep this number, okay? I'll call you tomorrow during your break."

"Okay."

"I love you, Nico."

"Love you too..." she spoke quietly and the line went dead. She finished her sandwich as she replied to a text from Peri. She looked up as she heard a knock on the door. "Yeah?"

The door opened, revealing Maxine. "You've got a visitor."

"Who?"

As if on cue, she spotted the flash of blue before the rest of the body appeared, Dylan walking into the room from behind Maxine. "Don't worry, he's gone out." He answered her questioning look as the door shut behind him.

"You didn't need to tell mum you know."

"Actually." He sat on the end f the bed, looking into her eyes, already dark with slight irritation. "I did. You weren't gonna listen to us so I had to do something."

"How did she seem?"

"Worried...but to be fair I had just told her that her dad was kicking her kid around." he shrugged.

"Dylan!"

"What?! She was gonna find out eventually! You know how bad I am at hiding stuff."

She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Fine..."

"Speaking of... how are you feeling?"

"Doesn't feel like every bone in m body is broken anymore." she commented dryly, rolling her eyes at the irritation on his face. "You walked into that one." she added childishly, sticking out her tongue for added effect.

He shook his head and smiled. "Ok I won't try to care next time."

"Fine by me." She smiled, setting the empty tray on the floor and lay back. She motioned for him to move next to her.

He sighed and crawled up the bed and positioned himself behind her, his arm across her stomach.

"She says she'll call me tomorrow."

He nodded. "That's good."

"I'm not mad at you." She turned her head so she could look at him. "I know you were trying to help."

"But you're a stubborn one." He smirked.

Nico giggled and nodded. "Yeah I guess you could say that." She turned her body so she was facing him fully and she smiled. They were just two friends comfortable in each other's company, and she loved him completely.


End file.
